Dad's Golden Days

Geoffrey Abisheganaden with President S.R. Nathan

My father held many important positions in community in the past, and this pictorial spread is to highlight some of the past famous and powerful people he has associated in his 40 - 50 years of community and social work. During the 1960s he was a prominent lawyer assisting the then 1st Chief Minister David Marshall as his assistant, and later on starting out his own law firm Abisheganaden and Company at the old Boat Quay. I remember the days in the 60s when his office was on the 2nd floor of an shophouse converted from a godown and the staircases were dusty and creaky. In those days,we lived in a big bungalow at 6 Adis Road and the entire ground floor of the house was used to store the old case files.

I remember the old days where practically every Sunday we would head over to the Marshall family house in Changi and enjoy a glorious lunch spread made my Mrs. Marshall and we spend many hours of fun playing hide and seek, having iced lemon tea and observing Mr. Marshall's lovely 'zoo' consisting of pelondok (or mousedeer), a peacock, some dogs, cats and a cockatoo. The 4 Marshall children were childhood friends of ours but now are based mainly in Europe. Their house had a winding sloping road down to the sea where Mr. Marshall would take dips at night. My family thoroughly enjoyed those weekends.


Campus Crusade for Christ Token

His church work took him to the Bible House, as well as the Campus Crusade for Christ. Addtionally, he was involved in the Christian Businessmen's chapter. He was also the Chairman for the board of Governors of St Andrew's Junior College as well as on the board for St Andrew's School. A down to earth and unassuming person, he has met with all of the last 4 Presidents of Singapore in his various capacities.

I recall once such event which was the St. Andrew's School dinner, where my father sat on the Main Table next to Presiddent Sheares. Later, he called for someone to bring us to meet the President and I remember him saying, "Now Mark, this is probably more rare than meeting Santa Claus, you are meeting President Sheares".


St. Andrew's Junior College Sports Day Momento as Guest of Honour

He also donated funds for the start of a basketball tournament at the SAJC (my college I might add) and there is a Geoffrey Abisheganaden Cup somewhere in the silverware of SAJC.His made donations to charities and worthy causes and I am sure that the giving spirit would have passed on to the next generation.